A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich Author:Alice Childress Benjie Johnson is thirteen, black, and well on his way to being hooked on heroin. — A lot of people would like to help... — Butler Craig, Benjie's "stepfather":"The kid got to hanging around those that's in a junk bag and then got in one himself. How he's to get out is what's to be dealt with." — Jimmy-Lee Powell, Benjie's friend:" Me and Benjie us... more »ed to be tight. He was my boon...now he's soudin like from another...if I was in trouble like him, we would still be buddies. Friendship begin to split when one is caught in a habit and the other not...needles divide guys..."
Benjie's mother, Rose:"I wish I knew how to talk to Benjie...Be fine to tell him that something nice can happen for him in life..."
Walter, the pusher,isn't worried:"You may's well sell to kids cause if you don't they got some grown junky to get it for them and he's gonna take a cut outta they bag for hisself... No pain, I feel no pain...I don't feel sorry for a livin."
And Benjie himself says:" If you 'on' somethin, that mean you hooked and can't give it up...I ain't no hooked...I take somethin sometime, but I ain't no user..."« less